The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for generating combinatorial coating libraries and, more specifically, to systems and methods for depositing and curing substrate-supported chemical compositions.
Coatings are widely used in industry to enhance the functionality and add-on value of bulk materials. There are generally two types of functional coating materials: organic and inorganic coatings. Organic coating materials are widely used in industrial protective/decorative applications, such as automobile clear coatings, paints, etc. Other types of organic coatings include, for example, environmental barrier coatings, anticorrosive coatings, adhesive and release coatings, electric conductive/optic transparent coatings, scratch-resistant coatings, etc. The discovery of an advanced coating formulation promises significant value for a manufacturer.
The development of generic tools to accelerate the discovery process for various coating systems may be of even higher value for a manufacturer, however, as the search for and optimization of advanced coatings is more of an art than a science. The power of theoretical guidance in the search for and optimization of advanced coatings is limited, largely because of the complexity of a typical coating system and the multiplicity of quality requirements that must be met. Typically, industrial coating formulations must meet multiple functional requirements, and multiple compatible functional groups or blends are necessary to obtain a balanced formulation. In addition, the properties of a coating system depend not only on the formula/composition, but also on the coating application method and processing conditions. For example, the degree of thickness uniformity and surface roughness, which depend on the application method and processing conditions of a coating, are important in the quality and reproducibility of the coating. Further, different application methods and processing conditions, including, for example, the sequence of application of each layer of a multi-layer coating, exposure to ultraviolet (UV)/electron curing, and varying temperature/pressure, are highly important factors in determining the structure/composition of the final coating, impacting its functionality.
Thus, because of the multitude of variables that affect the production of a coating, most of the usable industrial coating systems developed to date have been the result of serendipitous trial-and-error experimental processes.
Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods that accelerate the rate at which functional coatings may be generated for various manufacturing applications. Further, there is a need for systems and methods that allow such coatings to be produced in a controlled manner, with variable compositions/thicknesses and curing parameters over the different regions of a single coating or a coating library.
In one embodiment, a system for creating a combinatorial coating library includes a coating system operatively coupled to at least one of a plurality of materials suitable for forming at least one coating layer on a surface of one or more substrates. The system also includes a curing system operative to apply at least one of a plurality of curing environments to each of a plurality of regions associated with the at least one coating layer, the curing system comprising a plurality of waveguides or tubes each having a first end corresponding to at least one of the plurality of regions and a second end associated with at least one curing source. The combinatorial coating library comprises a predetermined combination of at least one of the plurality of materials and at least one of the plurality of curing environments associated with each of the plurality of regions.
In another embodiment, a method for creating a combinatorial coating library includes selectively applying at least one of a plurality of materials suitable for forming at least one coating layer to a surface of one or more substrates. The method also includes selectively applying at least one of a plurality of curing environments to each of a plurality of regions associated with the at least one coating layer using a curing system comprising a plurality of waveguides or tubes each having a first end corresponding to at least one of the plurality of regions and a second end associated with at least one curing source. The combinatorial coating library comprises a predetermined combination of at least one of the plurality of materials and at least one of the plurality of curing environments associated with each of the plurality of regions.